On October 15, 2024, the Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs of Austria, together with the Austrian Standards Institute, officially issued the Mandatory Specification for Barrier-Free and Age-Friendly Safety Management of Elevators, which comprehensively upgraded the age-friendly design, barrier-free construction, transformation and upgrading, and emergency disposal of elevators in Austria. The core contents include: First, clarify the mandatory age-friendly requirements for newly installed elevators. From April 1, 2025, all newly installed elevators in residential, medical, elderly care and public service buildings in Austria must comply with the EU barrier-free design standards and special age-friendly requirements, and must be equipped with high and low double-row Braille buttons, full-process voice broadcast, double-sided handrails in the car, wheelchair turning space, and barrier-free floor design. Second, clarify the time limit for age-friendly transformation of existing elevators. Residential elevators with a service life of more than 15 years and elevators in elderly care and medical buildings with a service life of more than 10 years must complete age-friendly upgrading and transformation before 2028. After the transformation, they must pass the official barrier-free performance inspection, and elevators that do not meet the standards are not allowed to continue operation. Third, refine the age-friendly requirements for emergency rescue, clarifying that the elevator emergency call device must be equipped with one-key call, two-way voice intercom, and automatic positioning functions. The emergency alarm must respond effectively 24 hours a day, and the entrapment rescue must give priority to the rescue needs of the elderly and disabled people. Fourth, strengthen maintenance and inspection requirements, clarifying that age-friendly elevators carry out routine maintenance once every 12 days, and a special barrier-free inspection once a year. Maintenance personnel must receive special training on age-friendly services and work with certificates. Fifth, supporting incentive policies, giving a maximum financial subsidy of 35% and tax relief to elevator user units that complete age-friendly transformation in advance and reach the highest barrier-free grade. Sixth, formulate violation punishment measures. For the responsible subjects who fail to complete the design, transformation and maintenance in accordance with the specifications, they will face an administrative fine of up to 30,000 euros, and the relevant qualifications will be revoked if the circumstances are serious. The new regulation has a 6-month transition period and was officially implemented on April 15, 2025.